佛祖統紀 42.57

42.57

述曰。周武廢佛。法師知玄抗辨精壯。帝不能屈。唐武沙汰法師。知玄登論座。道流不能屈。兩世俱名知玄。俱遇廢教。俱在朝為法師。俱當辨論之席。意師有宿誓使之然乎。至為三學山知鉉亦不異此名也。觀其三世為有道沙門。而酬償宿報未已者。當是晁錯趨東廂以避盎。時此心已深恨。而載赴東市以就誅。時此心必大恨意。臨刑之際必起惡願為世世之報。故每當法師舍壽之日。必見此相者。亦玄師道力轉為輕受之報也。天珠者誅也。昔盎請誅錯。今錯亦誅盎。玄袁也。寓名以見本年之姓。異哉。

The commentary states: When Emperor Wu of the Zhou suppressed Buddhism, Dharma Master Zhixuan's counter-arguments were energetic and robust, and the Emperor could not subdue him. When Emperor Wu of the Tang suppressed the teachings, Dharma Master Zhixuan ascended the debate platform, and the Daoists could not subdue him. In both lives, he was named Zhixuan; in both, he encountered the destruction of the teachings; in both, he served as a Dharma Master at court; in both, he took the seat of debate. Could it be that the Master had a past vow that caused this to be so? As for his being Zhixuan of Mount Sanxue, it was also no different from this name. Observing that across three lifetimes he was a monk of the Way, yet the settling of past karmic retribution had not ceased, it must be that when Chao Cuo hurried to the eastern veranda to avoid Ang, his mind already deeply resented him, and when he was carted to the Eastern Market to face execution, his mind must have held immense hatred. When facing execution, he must have aroused an evil vow to seek retribution life after life. Therefore, whenever the day came for the Dharma Master to relinquish his lifespan, he inevitably saw this sign; it was also through Master Xuan's power of the Way that it was converted into a lighter retribution. The heavenly pearl (tianzhu) means execution (zhu). In the past, Ang requested the execution of Cuo; now Cuo also executes Ang. 'Xuan' (玄) is 'Yuan' (袁); a name was borrowed to reveal the surname of that original year. How extraordinary!